What Is Basa Fish?
Basa is a type of catfish belonging to the Pangasiidae family. Its formal scientific name is Pangasius bocourti, though it’s often called basa fish or bocourti in the United States.
You may also have heard basa fish referred to as river cobbler, Vietnamese cobbler, pangasius, or swai.
Its flesh has a light, firm texture and a mild fish flavor — similar to cod or haddock. In fact, it’s often sold as boneless fish fillets and used in the same way.
Basa fish are native to the Mekong and Chao Phraya rivers, which run through several countries in Southeast Asia.
Due to its popularity and the high demand for export, it’s also farmed in large numbers in pens surrounding the Mekong River.
One reason Basa is so popular is its cost. It’s cheap to grow and harvest, making it competitively priced, even when exported abroad.
SUMMARY
Basa fish is a type of catfish native to Southeast Asia. Its low cost — even when imported — makes it is a popular fish across the world.
Nutrition Facts
Like other types of white fish, basa is low in calories and rich in high-quality protein.
A 4.5-ounce (126-gram) serving provides (1Trusted Source):
- Calories: 158
- Protein: 22.5 grams
- Fat: 7 grams
- Saturated fat: 2 grams
- Cholesterol: 73 mg
- Carbs: 0 grams
- Sodium: 89 mg
Due to its low calorie and high protein content, it can be a beneficial food for those on a diet — not unlike other types of white fish.
It also contains 5 grams of unsaturated fats, which include some omega-3 fatty acids.
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fats important for maintaining the optimum health of your body and brain — especially as you age (2Trusted Source).
However, basa is much lower in omega-3 fats than oily fish like salmon and mackerel (1Trusted Source).
SUMMARY
Basa fish — like other white fish — is high in protein and low in calories. It also contains small amounts of healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Health Benefits
White fish like basa provide you with high-quality protein and not many calories.
Eating fish has also been linked to a number of health benefits, including longevity and a lower risk of heart disease.
People Who Eat Fish May Live Longer
Observational studies have found that people who eat more fish live longer than those who don’t (3Trusted Source).
In fact, in one study, those who ate the most fish — which was measured by testing the levels of omega-3 fats in their bloodstream — lived just over two years longer than those who ate the least (4Trusted Source).
Though omega-3 fatty acids are found in the highest amounts in oily fish, leaner fish like basa can still contribute to your omega-3 intake.
Keep in mind that observational studies cannot prove cause and effect. Therefore, these studies cannot say that eating fish is what makes people live longer.
Still, research suggests that fish like basa are a healthy addition to a balanced diet.